There now are six FIAT studios in the Bay Area, but FIAT of San Francisco is the first to open for business within the city itself. This newest FIAT studio is located at 1595 Van Ness Ave. on the edge of San Francisco's famed Pacific Heights neighborhood.

"The opening of FIAT of San Francisco is an important step for continuing the growth of our brand in the United States," said Jason Stoicevich, Head of FIAT Brand for North America, Chrysler Group LLC. "We have FIAT studios in the region, but having a presence right in the city, where our Fiat 500 has been so popular, will make it easier for our customers to do business with us. This is the ideal location, in the fashionable Pacific Heights area, for our first studio in San Francisco."

With FIAT of San Francisco now open, the FIAT brand now has 209 studios in the United States. The FIAT brand launched the Fiat 500 in the U.S. in early 2011, and began selling the larger Fiat 500L in June and the all-electric Fiat 500e in the state of California in July.

FIAT of San Francisco is located in an historic building built in 1914 that once housed a Buick dealership, and more recently, a Ford dealership. The Van Ness Avenue corridor has long been known as the city's "Auto Row."

Scott Ginsburg and Gregory Minor, the dealership principals, also have owned San Francisco Ferrari Maserati in nearby Mill Valley, Calif. since 2009.

"The timing is perfect to open a FIAT studio in the city," said Minor. "The new four-door Fiat 500L and the all-electric 500e just recently went on sale in California and are going to be huge hits. The San Francisco market is so green conscious, our entire product lineup of 500 and 500L models will do well in the city and at this prime location."

FIAT of San Francisco is utilizing all four floors of the historic building, with the service department located on the top floor. The building includes a courtyard that will be utilized for customer-valued off-street parking.

The state of California is Fiat's largest market in the U.S. In the Bay Area, the brand currently has five locations in Burlingame, Berkeley, Concord, Fremont and San Jose.